A brief history of Serie A's players from Scotland
Scotland was knocked out of Euro 2024 in the group stages after failing to register a single win. It marked a dull summer for Scottish soccer as the Tartan Army was officially the worst team of the tournament – conceding 7 goals and collecting just one point.
Despite the lull of depression echoing as the season is underway in Scotland, the after-effects of another major tournament failure lingers. For many, it stings a little more with the knowledge that the current national team has a talented pool of players.
Italy is an unlikely nation to capitalize on Scottish talent in recent years. There is a small but rich history of Scottish soccer players who have graced the Italian turf. Denis Law for Torino, Graeme Souness for Sampdoria, and Joe Jordan for AC Milan and Hellas Verona make up the few who have.
Serie A and Scotland: Influx of Scottish players is growing
In 2018, Liam Henderson became the first Scot to play in Serie A for almost 30 years. Another Scot is Josh Doig, who currently plies his trade in Serie B with Sassuolo.
Last season, Bologna’s breakout season was earmarked by the impressive Lewis Ferguson who was instrumental in the team securing Champions League football for the first time since 1964. Before Christmas, the Scottish midfielder had surpassed Denis Law’s record of becoming the highest-scoring Scot in Serie A history.
Last weekend, Torino’s Che Adams was the hero of the hour as he opened his scoring account against Europa League winners Atalanta. The Scotland striker joined the Turin club this summer as a free agent.
Most notably, Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has finalized a move to Serie A side Napoli for a fee of around $33million. This would make him the most expensive Scottish player of all time, surpassing Kieran Tierney’s record move from Celtic to Arsenal. Brighton’s highly talented Billy Gilmour is also expected to follow him to Naples although the injury to Matt O’Riley may scupper plans.
The Scottish boom is well and truly underway. It marks a significant turn of ventures for players who are committed to getting out of their comfort zones. The short-term sight of this is the betterment of player development. However, this can consequently result in a Scottish national team full of players who are seasoned outside of the British shores.
Time to follow the footsteps of the English?
The Premier League has become an over-saturated league in many senses, and British players have felt the effect of that. The likes of Jude Bellingham, Fikayo Tomori, and Jadon Sancho were made outside of England and ultimately thrived through their experiences abroad. For others like Tammy Abraham, Chris Smalling and Ashley Young, experiences in Italy were a chance to reinvigorate their careers.
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For far too long, it has felt like many Scottish players have lived in a bubble of the Scottish Premiership and ultimately the reputation of Scottish football has paid the price for this. As a result, the faces of Scotland – Celtic and Rangers – have failed at the first hurdle in Champions League qualifiers and Europa League competitions far too often.
The recent influx of Scottish players in Serie A will benefit the national team in the grander scheme. As a continuation of last season’s flag-bearer in Lewis Ferguson, it will be important for a name as massive as Scott McTominay to thrive just as well and further boost the Scottish boom in Italian football.
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